Leaving her grandfather’s side, Oriana retreated to her study, where she instructed her servants not to disturb her. She faced two critical tasks - safeguarding the two n who held paramount importance in her life: her beloved grandfather and Arlan, the man she couldn’t help but care for, despite her best efforts to foster animosity.
Oriana found herself with a dual mission. First, she needed to ascertain the composition of the dicinal pill that Erich had provided her to rescue her ailing grandfather. Secondly, she had to delve into the forbidden realm of black magic, consulting ancient tos in search of a way to aid Arlan.
She summoned her magical abilities, and with a subtle flourish, a pill materialized in her palm. Carefully, she examined it, scrutinizing its scent and taste, attempting to discern the elusive herbal ingredients it concealed.
"The herbs master uncovered is familiar to ," Oriana mused, "but the rest remain enigmatic, possibly rare species I’ve never encountered. My only recourse is to rely on my knowledge and the insights I’ve gathered while docunting obscure herbs during my ti at Thistle Palace a few months ago."
In that contemplative mont, Yorian entered the room. "What occupies your thoughts so deeply?" he asked, directing his gaze toward the object in her hand.
Oriana considered her words before responding, "Could you please examine this pill, Lord Yorian? I must identify its components in order to replicate it for my grandfather’s salvation."
Yorian t Oriana’s gaze for a brief mont, understanding the imnse burden she carried, the weight of responsibility for the two individuals most dear to her. He took the proffered pill, inspected it closely, and even ventured to sample a minuscule fragnt from its already worn surface. After a mont of contemplation, he inquired, "Where did you co across this pill?"
Oriana recounted, "Master Erich entrusted it to , claiming that a similar pill had once rescued Sir Calhoun Sanders, the guardian knight of King Drayce, from the brink of death. It is said to possess divine potency, which seems to have waned over ti, rendering it ineffective. I must recreate it, infusing it with my own divine power. Given your expertise in crafting elixirs and dicines, could you help discern its contents?" Her eyes conveyed a sense of hope as they locked onto his.
"It’s quite challenging to discern the key herbs in this concoction, as it’s no ordinary herb, and it certainly wasn’t crafted by an ordinary individual. Did Erich happen to ntion the creator? Could it have been King Drayce?" Yorian inquired.
Oriana shook her head, her expression grave. "I believe it was his mother, the Queen of Witches. If it was King Drayce, master would have just asked King Drayce about it. Moreover he told it belonged to Queen Seren and she was not the one to make it either as she is not a witch. Miss Martha is not the one either so we are only left with the Queen of Witches."
"That would certainly explain our difficulty in uncovering the essential ingredients," Yorian mused. "Witches are renowned for their knowledge, but they guard their secrets closely, sharing them only within their own circles. Besides crafting these rare dicines and potions, they excel at concealing their recipes, veiling them with their magic so effectively that even those with the desire to discern their composition can’t, unless they, too, possess the skills of a seasoned witch."
Oriana admitted, "While I am indeed a witch, I have not yet attained such advanced skills. What do you suggest? Should we attempt to locate King Drayce’s mother?"
"As you know, she’s departed for Agartha," Yorian explained. "If we pursue her, we might not return for at least a month, even with teleportation. I fear it wouldn’t bode well for us, given the pressing matters at hand. We must aid both your grandfather and Prince Arlan. The full moon is approaching, and I presu you wouldn’t want to be away during this crucial ti."
Oriana contemplated the dilemma. "What if you were to leave and return as soon as possible?"
"I am afraid it would be still too late." Yorian arched an eyebrow, his concern evident, "Can you handle the matter involving that malevolent witch on your own?"
Oriana fell silent for a mont, grappling with the reality of her situation. She needed a knowledgeable ally by her side. ’Master ntioned that she wouldn’t assist in dealing with this wicked witch, and now I only have Lord Yorian, to guide . But what about my grandfather?’ She could not help but feel worried, ’Do I need to lose one to help other?’
"We will explore alternative thods for making this pill known, but it will have to wait until after the full moon," Yorian decided. "I’ve assessed your grandfather’s condition, and while he is weak, he possesses remarkable resilience. You can take your ti to work on deciphering this pill." With a wave of his hand, Yorian employed his magic to divide the small pill into two parts. "I will keep one portion with , so I can support you in any way I can." He handed her the other portion.
Oriana concurred, her determination firm. "I will spend the day delving into my books and doing my utmost to find a solution."
Seated in the chair opposite her, Yorian inquired, "Would you like to discuss what you experienced under the influence of that black magic?"
Oriana set the pill aside and regarded the elf. "I saw a young boy suffering, reliving all of his painful mories... and I believe..."
"That boy is Prince Arlan," Yorian interjected.
She nodded somberly, a glimr of sorrow in her eyes. "I can never mistake identifying him."
"Can you describe what you witnessed?" Yorian asked.
Oriana began to recount the agonizing monts she had shared with the boy, her own body still trembling from the emotional turmoil she had endured. Tears welled up in her eyes as she looked at the elf, once she narrated all those painful visions.
"He was so young, much like his niece, Rayjin. How could soone subject a child to such suffering? When most children revel in the joys of life, oblivious to the world’s cruelties, shedding tears even at the slightest hurt, he bore an unimaginable pain in his heart and an unwavering will to end his own life. How can anyone inflict such tornt on a child, pushing him to the brink of wanting to die?" She couldn’t restrain her tears.
"That’s undeniably cruel," Yorian acknowledged, giving her a mont to regain her composure. "Did you manage to witness what exactly transpired within that room? Did his mories reveal the identity of the witch responsible?"
She shook her head. "Sohow, his mories would cease as soon as he entered that room, as if he had an intense desire to keep what transpired within it a secret. I could only see events once he stepped out of that room. I never got a glimpse of the witch’s presence."
"He must possess a strong desire to forget and a profound hatred for that individual to wish to erase her existence from his mory," Yorian surmised. "But we will gain more insight on the upcoming night of the full moon."
A sudden knock on the door disrupted the conversation. "Your Highness, it’s , Ana," ca the voice from beyond the door.
Oriana exchanged a glance with Yorian, who advised her, "I’ll be gone for a while. Don’t wait up late for ."
She regarded him with a puzzled expression, silently questioning why she would wait for him. Before she could voice her thoughts, Yorian added with a playful smirk, "I’m afraid you might end up missing ." With that, he vanished from his spot.
"This elf is growing eccentric with age," Oriana muttered, her brow furrowing. She then spoke, "You may enter, Ana."
Ana pushed the door open and scanned the room. "I overheard soone speaking."
"I was just talking to myself," Oriana deadpanned, her expression unwavering. "What brings you here?"
"His Highness, Prince Arlan wishes to et with you. He’s waiting in the drawing hall," Ana relayed.
In contrast to her usual feelings of irritation and anger when encountering him, Oriana was now filled with concern, eager to see him. Without a word to Ana, she hurried out of the study and made her way to the drawing room, anxious to check on his well-being.
Upon entering the drawing room, she found them alone. Arlan sat on a couch, his gaze as icy and disdainful as ever, seemingly unable to bear her presence. But Oriana was different. Her usual eyes, filled with loathing for him, were strangely serene as she silently observed him while trying to catch her breath after running.
Arlan averted his cold gaze from her, his deanor conveying a strong aversion to her presence. "You rushed in here as though I’d murdered the old man," he remarked.
"I ca to check if you’re alright," she responded with unwavering composure, her words carrying a sincere tone.
He responded with a mocking chuckle. "Are you even in a position to do so?" he queried, fixing his gaze upon her. "Don’t overstep your bounds," he cautioned and suggested, "Why don’t you go and search for soone nad Luke?"
Oriana’s countenance underwent a subtle transformation upon hearing his ntion of Luke. Her thoughts raced, concerned about Arlan’s intentions and whether he might use Luke against her, potentially subjecting him to the sa harm as her grandfather.
Reviews
All reviews (0)